REQUEST TO REPROGRAM FMF FUNDS IN FY 08

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRIDGETOWN 000399

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/CAR, F, PM
SOUTHCOM FOR J5/SA
SOUTHCOM ALSO FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC MARR PGOV PINR PREL SNAR BB ST VC XL
SUBJECT: REQUEST TO REPROGRAM FMF FUNDS IN FY 08

REF: BRIDGETOWN 397

THIS CABLE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED. PLEASE PROTECT
ACCORDINGLY.

SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUEST
--------------


1. (U) This is an action request. See paras 11 and 12.


2. (U) Embassy Bridgetown has registered in reftel its concerns
regarding the State Department's decision to eliminate FY 08 Foreign
Military Financing (FMF) for the Eastern Caribbean. While we
strongly urge the Department to reverse this decision and restore
FMF funding for the Eastern Caribbean, we propose as a stopgap
measure to reprogram FMF funds in the Barbados and St.
Vincent/Grenadines FMF accounts held in abeyance since these
countries fell under American Service-Members' Protection Act (ASPA)
sanctions in July 2003. Post requests the Department's approval for
these funds to be utilized to fill the potential FMF gap in FY 08,
specifically to fund the Eastern Caribbean Technical Assistance
Field Team (TAFT).

BACKGROUND
--------------


3. (U) The TAFT was born of the necessity to help the Eastern
Caribbean countries develop a maritime security capability in the
aftermath of the upheaval in Grenada in 1983, and subsequent events
throughout the region in the mid-1980's. Since then, overall USG
support has included the transfer of Excess Defense Article (EDA)
patrol boats; training through Joint Combined Education and Training
(JCETs),Mobile Training Teams (MTTs),International Military
Education and Training (IMET),and other sources; and annual block
grants of FMF executed by the TAFT for the Regional Security System
(RSS) member-states. In its capacity, the TAFT supports
non-sanctioned RSS maritime units on all engineering-related
requirements, including vessel/base assessments, technical
consulting on readiness and engineering casualties, and the
procurement of items and services to improve performance.


4. (U) TAFT personnel also conduct site visits and inspections,
develop dry dock work lists and contracts, evaluate shipboard
equipment and machinery, perform component failure analysis, and do
the necessary market research for repairs and parts replacement. In
FY 06, using a USD 100,000 contracting warrant and two Government
Purchase Cards (GPC) accounts, TAFT accomplished the following:

-- Awarded 392 contracts totaling USD 743,379.62;

-- Executed 81 purchases via GPC totaling USD 47,963.63;

-- Wrote the statements of work, solicited, awarded, and executed 4
dry-dock contracts totaling USD 342,987.96, to include on-site
quality assurance of work standards at the dry dock facility;

-- Managed 24 FMF lines of accounting totaling USD 3,968,319.05;

-- Processed 302 Shipping & Customs clearances.

These actions along with the functions listed above required the
full-time employment of the one officer and two petty officers that
comprise the TAFT.


5. (U) TAFT functions have progressed from hands-on maintenance
actions in the early years to filling the gap in program management
capabilities, which are lacking in the Eastern Caribbean
microstates. TAFT manages and executes RSS countries' FMF that is
designated for support of maritime forces via Military
Interdepartmental Purchase Requests (MIPRs) issued by the Navy
International Programs Office (NIPO) from the countries' respective
Letters of Offer and Acceptance (LOA).


6. (U) The TAFT is completely funded via annual Security Assistance
appropriations. U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters (USCG/G-CI) requires
that manpower costs be reimbursed in the FY for which services are
rendered, preferably in advance or as early in the FY as possible.
In lieu of the pending FMF cut-off in FY 08, G-CI has mandated that
we execute the FY 08 transfer at the end of FY 07.

TAFT CRITICAL TO U.S. INTERESTS
--------------


BRIDGETOWN 00000399 002 OF 002



7. (SBU) TAFT functions as a direct link between Embassy
Bridgetown's Military Liaison Office (MLO) and the coast guards in
the Eastern Caribbean countries. As such, they conduct their
activities in direct support of the Embassy's Mission Strategic Plan
Goal 2: Combating International Crime and Drugs; Goal 3:
Bolstering Counterterrorism Efforts; and Goal 4: Responding to
Emergencies with Humanitarian Assistance.


8. (SBU) These goals are in concert with USSOUTHERN COMMAND's
Theater Strategic Cooperation Plan objectives of providing regional
capabilities for Counterterrorism, Combating Weapons of Mass
Destruction, Stabilization Operations and Security Sector Reform,
Counternarcotics, and Transnational Crime. TAFT also provides
advice on operational, manpower, diplomatic, and administrative
issues to the Eastern Caribbean coast guards, MLO, USSOUTHERN
COMMAND (SOUTHCOM),and other entities. TAFT is the technical
expert for all of SOUTHCOM's Tradewinds Exercise planning that
incorporates afloat assets of the RSS countries into exercise
scenarios. They conduct post-exercise evaluations and submit
lessons learned to SOUTHCOM. TAFT is SOUTHCOM's primary engagement
tool for maritime issues in the Eastern Caribbean, as well as the
primary vehicle for end use monitoring (EUM) for assets remitted to
the Eastern Caribbean countries.


9. (U) RSS coast guards have also proved their importance during
the Cricket World Cup, the third largest sporting event in the
world, which is currently underway in the Caribbean. Their patrol
vessels have been employed at various locations for security at
Cricket World Cup games. Two of these patrol vessels, one from St.
Kitts/Nevis and one from Antigua/Barbuda, recently provided escort
service for Ambassador Ourisman's 20-minute ride on a contracted
ferry to the USS CARNEY, which was anchored in the port at St.
Johns, Antigua. These actions were only possible due to the
seaworthy condition of the vessels and the training of their crews,
thanks in large part to TAFT's efforts and success at performing its
functions. Many of the region's patrol vessels are approaching or
are already beyond their design service lives. The prospective
termination of the TAFT could not therefore come at a more
inopportune time.

RECOMMENDATION AND ACTION REQUEST
--------------


10. (U) Embassy Bridgetown and SOUTHCOM are in agreement that the
TAFT should not be disbanded. However, the elimination of FMF
funding for the Eastern Caribbean in FY 08 will mean exactly
that--the end of TAFT. It is highly unlikely that the TAFT could be
reinstated if and when FMF is reactivated for the Eastern Caribbean.
In light of this bleak scenario, Embassy Bridgetown strongly urges
the Department to reinstate FY 08 FMF funding for the Eastern
Caribbean, so that the TAFT can continue its mission, which is vital
to the survival and growth of the Eastern Caribbean maritime
security units.


11. (U) While the Department considers this request, the Embassy is
also proposing to secure TAFT's continued operations by
reprogramming FMF funds in the Barbados and St. Vincent/Grenadines
FMF accounts held in abeyance since these countries fell under ASPA
sanctions in July 2003. Both countries are party to the Rome
Statute that created the International Criminal Court, and both have
consistently--and vocally--opposed signing Article 98 agreements
with the United States. It is the Embassy's view that Barbados and
St. Vincent/Grenadines will not sign Article 98 agreements in the
near future. Consequently, the Embassy proposes to reprogram the
balance in the Barbados FMF account ($254,731.71) and the balance in
the St. Vincent/Grenadines FMF account ($282,873.91) to St. Lucia
for the purpose of providing support to the Eastern Caribbean TAFT.
Additionally, the Embassy requests that the balance in FMF cases
BB-P-RAL and VC-P-RAL also be reprogrammed to St. Lucia. The
Embassy requests that these funds be transferred as expeditiously as
possible to sustain the TAFT through FY 08.

OURISMAN